何尝不是……

hécháng bú shì...

isn't it also... (何尝不是……)

何尝不是 means “isn’t it also...?” It rhetorically affirms that something can indeed be seen in another way.

Anchor example

失败何尝不是一次重新开始的机会？

Shībài hécháng bú shì yí cì chóngxīn kāishǐ de jīhuì?

Isn’t failure also an opportunity to start again?

HSK 6

1 structures

15 exercises

Lesson summary

Read the sample sentence and notice how 何尝不是…… works in the frame: A 何尝不是 B.

Explanation

This pattern is literary and reflective. It often reframes failure, waiting, criticism, or pressure as an opportunity, test, or help. Do not drop 不; 何尝不是 is the rhetorical affirmative form.

Structure Patterns

1 structures

Grammar pattern

A 何尝不是 B

uses a rhetorical question to affirm another possible positive interpretation

失败何尝不是一次重新开始的机会？

Shībài hécháng bú shì yí cì chóngxīn kāishǐ de jīhuì?

Isn’t failure also an opportunity to start again?

Common Mistakes

Dropping 不: 何尝是...Keep 何尝不是 to express rhetorical affirmation.
Using it for a plain factual question.It is rhetorical and reflective, not a normal information question.

Usage Notes

Rhetorical, reflective tone.
Often positive reframing.
Common in essays and speeches.

Practice

15 exercises

1 / 15

Fill in the blank:

失败____一次重新开始的机会？

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